Lentil Bolognese Recipe (2024)

Table of Contents

How To Make Lentil Bolognese Tips More Vegetarian Dinner Recipes! Lentil Bolognese Ingredients Instructions Notes Nutrition Reader Interactions Love this recipe? Leave A Reply! FAQs References

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Naturally gluten free and vegan, this Lentil Bolognese recipe is a hearty, healthy lentil recipe that’s perfect for topping pasta or just about anything else!

This is probably the hardest post that I’ve written. I’m not super comfortable talking about myself, so I tend to just talk about the food instead.

Having people criticize my recipes can be hard enough, but sharing extremely personal things like my struggle to lose weight is way (way, way) out of my comfort zone.

In September, I had my third little one. Since this was my third time, I figured I knew what to expect.

Except that this time hasn’t been like the last two time, and I have really been struggling to get my weight loss going this time. I definitely got off track while I was pregnant. I had hyperemesis during the beginning of my pregnancy. Once it was under control,I was hungry constantly, and so I ate.

After being so sick, I was beyond excited to be able to eat and to have food taste good again. At first, I craved healthy foods, and I ate lots of veggies and salads and good stuff. Towards the end, I craved more junk food, and that’s when the weight jumped on.

I gained about the same amount of weight during all three of my pregnancies. The last two times, it started to come off right away. I didn’t diet or do anything special to try to lose it, and it took me about a year both times to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight.

This time, though, the weight seems to be pretty happy hanging around. I certainly want to lose this baby weight, but more than that, I want to work on getting healthy again.

So, why am I telling you all of this? Well, the recipes that I share on here reflect what we’re eating. Everything that shows up on here was first tried out on my family and friends.

Even though I don’t talk much about my life, I do want to be honest with what I do share. So, I don’t want to pretend like I can eat a lots of cake, cookies, and other no-so-healthy food and lose weight because I can’t. The struggle is real, my friends. And with that, on to the food!

How To Make Lentil Bolognese

Growing up, my mom made this great dish of lentils and rice, and I loved it. It was one of my favorite dinners, and I still love all lentil recipes. This Lentil Bolognese is my healthier take on pastasauce. I’m not going to say that you’ll think you’re eating meat when you have this because you won’t.

Instead, this lentil bolognese is delicious in its own right. The sauce is packed with veggies and has lots of flavor. This sauce isincredibly hearty and super satisfying.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until softened, about 5-10 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and then the tomato paste.

Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, seasonings, and baking soda. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in the lentils and water. Simmer until the lentils have softened.

Tips

I’ve never had trouble with the lentils cooking in the recipe as-written. However, some people have reported that pre-cooking the lentils or partially cooking the lentils has worked better for them.
Since this sauce is so hearty, it’s great served over a sturdy pasta like a rigatoni (whole wheat, extra fiber, or just regular pasta all work).
You can also serve this sauce over cooked spaghetti squash for a lower-carb dinner.

More Vegetarian Dinner Recipes!

Vegetable Korma
Layered Vegetable Bake
Zucchini Frittata

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4.93 from 52 votes

Lentil Bolognese

Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Hearty lentil bolognese makes an easy pasta sauce that's full of good-for-you ingredients.

Ingredients

▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
▢ 1 onion finely diced
▢ 1 rib celery finely chopped
▢ 3 large carrots peeled and chopped
▢ 7 cloves garlic minced
▢ 6 ounce can tomato paste
▢ 15 ounce can tomato sauce
▢ 2-14.5 ounce cans diced Italian tomatoes
▢ 2 tablespoons dried sweet basil
▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
▢ Salt and pepper to taste
▢ 2 cups red lentils rinsed and picked over
▢ 2 cups water

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
Add onion, celery, and carrot.
Cook, stirring as needed, until softened, about 5-10 minutes.
Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 seconds.
Stir in tomato paste, and cook, stirring it in, for 1 minutes.
Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with juice, basil, oregano, baking soda, and salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in lentils and water.
Simmer, stirring regularly, until lentils have softened, about 20-30 minutes.

Notes

*Disclaimer: I'm not a nutritionist. Recipe nutrition facts are estimates.

**1 Weight Watchers Freestyle Point per serving.

Nutrition

Did You Make This Recipe?

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Originally published 12/27/14. Updated with new photos and tips 12/31/19.

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Created by Kate

Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

Reader Interactions

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Comments & Reviews

Susana Richart Balbaneda says
April 12, 2023

Really nice!! My boys love it!!!
Reply
- Kate says
  April 12, 2023
  Thank you!
  Reply
Charlotte Burton says
January 31, 2022

Hello
I really would like to make this sauce however I’m supposed to be on a salt free diet so I would use salt free tomatoes etc. I am wondering about the baking soda is it a must for this recipe?
Thanks so much!
Reply
- Kate says
  January 31, 2022
  Hi! The baking soda helps to cut some of the acidity in the sauce. There are two other ways to help cut down on the acidity. One – add sugar to the sauce, or two – grate a carrot or two into the sauce. Hope that helps!
  Reply
  - Gaby says
    February 26, 2022
    I have made this sauce many times and it is always delicious. Lately I have added about a half cup of red wine and it has been amazing. I also use it instead of my meat bolognese in lasagna and even my meat loving son said it was great. Thanks for a recipe that let’s me cook a bit healthier for mi family! I have some bubbling on the stove right now and the house smells heavenly.
    Reply
    - Kate says
      February 26, 2022
      Thanks for sharing that! I’ll have to try it with the red wine next time.
Sharan says
December 13, 2021

I made it slightly less, not quite as much tomato and the garlic cloves I had were really large, so only used 3 instead of 7, boiled up some angel hair and it’s really good. You’re right, satisfying without the meat. Just what I’ve been looking for. When I make it again, will probably used green or red peppers and less carrot.
Reply
- Kate says
  December 13, 2021
  Thank you! There is definitely some flexibility with the recipe, and I’m glad that you were able to tweak it to suit your tastes!
  Reply
- Gaby says
  October 15, 2022
  
  I forgot to rate this recipe the last time. Made this again today and it is still amazing. I will be serving it tonight for my sister’s birthday dinner over gluten free pasta. She cannot eat glutten and is vegan. I am thrilled that I can make a meal that we can all share and love and it still meets her health needs. Thanks again!
  Reply
Esther says
June 16, 2021

I made this recipe and it is delicious! I was wondering whether it can be cooked in the Instant Pot (thinking about saving time with two babies around!). Have you tried? Could you give any times or extra liquid that might be necessary? Thanks!
Reply
- Kate says
  June 16, 2021
  Hi! Thank you! I’ve tried it in the IP, but I have yet to come up with a version that I’m happy with. I tried it at 5 minutes manual high pressure with a 10 minute npr last time, and the lentils were mush. Also, I did add about 1/2 cup extra water to help thin the sauce. I hope that at least gives you a place to start!
  Reply
Natasha says
February 26, 2021

Absolutely gorgeous take on it. My family loved it! I put chillies in mine because I love spice but will definitely be making it again!Thank you
Reply
- Kate says
  February 26, 2021
  Thank you! I hadn’t thought of adding heat to this sauce, but that’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing!
  Reply
  See Also
  Easy Baked Cod Recipe with Lemon and Garlic| The Mediterranean Dish
Kayleigh Littler says
December 27, 2020
Can you make this in the crock pot?
Reply
- Kate says
  December 28, 2020
  Hi! I haven’t tried to make this in the crock pot. I’ve made it in a skillet and in an Instant Pot, but I haven’t tried the slow cooker. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
  Reply
Loni says
October 11, 2020
Hello! I am really excited about trying this for a lasagne recipe that calls for traditional bolognese sauce (which we love). I’m always trying to get my “meat and potato” loving son to eat more veg! I have a can of lentils- will that work or should I grab dried lentils for this recipe?
Reply
- Kate says
  October 12, 2020
  Hi! I haven’t tried using canned lentils in the recipe, but that would require other adjustments to the recipe. Without having tried canned lentils, I can’t say for certain all of the changes that you would need to make.
  Reply
Lois says
October 7, 2020
This looks delicious! Do you know if this can be frozen?
Reply
- Kate says
  October 8, 2020
  Thank you! Since this makes such a large batch, I regularly freeze half of it for later. I let it cool to room temp, and then I put the sauce into a resealable freezer container. Hope that helps!
  Reply
Andrea says
October 6, 2020
Hi, am reading this in the UK, and not quite sure what the cans of tomato paste and tomato sauce are in the UK? We have tomato purée (but only use very small amounts) and tinned tomato’s, which you also have in your recipe. What should we use? Thanks!
Reply
- Kate says
  October 8, 2020
  Hi! Tomato sauce is an unseasoned tomato puree. I believe it’s thinner than the tomato puree in the UK. Tomato paste is a thick concentrate that’s made from cooking down tomatoes. I hope that helps!
  Reply
- Jane Franklin says
  January 11, 2021
  I’m in the U.K too, and what you need to buy is ‘passata’ – available in all our supermarkets.
  Reply
Liz says
September 12, 2020

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this healthy bolognese! As a former weight watchers member I’m always on the hunt for great tasting, low points food. This is it! I added this one to my recipe box.
Reply
- Kate says
  September 14, 2020
  Thank you! I’m glad you liked it!
  Reply
KAKA says
August 8, 2020
Does this recipe call for split lentils? And can i change to green or yellow lentils?
Reply
- Kate says
  August 11, 2020
  They’re split red lentils. I don’t know that I’ve ever found whole red lentils in the grocery store, so I use the split red lentils that are commonly found in the stores. With the textural and cooking time differences, I’m not sure what to advise without having tried it.
  Reply
Jennifer Mancuso says
June 1, 2020
Loved this! Super easy, healthy and very filling!
Reply
- Kate says
  June 4, 2020
  Thank you so much! =)
  Reply
- Annie says
  July 28, 2020
  
  Great recipe. I lightly precooked the lentils in some vegetable stock for 5/10 minutes while I was chopping the onion, celery and carrots. This helped save time with the cooking later but also added some extra flavour to the lentils
  Reply
  - Cindy Lyon says
    October 23, 2021
    Thank you for the recipe. Its bubbling away right now.
    Just curious…what is the purpose to the baking soda in the recipe?
    Reply
    - Kate says
      October 28, 2021
      The baking soda helps to neutralize some of the acid. Some recipes call for sugar in the sauce. Others call for a grated carrot or baking soda.
Matt says
May 29, 2020

This worked great in a meat-free lasagna. It actually made it hold together better too!
Reply
- Kate says
  June 4, 2020
  That’s fantastic! Thank you for sharing that!
  Reply
Rosemary L Bell says
May 26, 2020
That sounds lovely, I tried making lentil bolognaise from guessing, well I can see from your recipe where I went wrong. Can you please tell me why you put baking soda in the recipe? Thank you in advance
Reply
- Kate says
  June 4, 2020
  Sure! The baking soda helps to reduce some of the acid in the sauce. I use a bit of baking soda rather than adding sugar to the sauce.
  Reply
Sam says
April 27, 2020

So good! Have made this several times and it’s always amazing.
Reply
- Kate says
  April 28, 2020
  Thank you so much! =)
  Reply
Liliana Fleur says
March 15, 2020

Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I was using this as sauce for Spaetzle, as almost all Spaetzle with Lentil recipes I found contain meat. I added a beautifully fragrant red pepper into it and it turned out wonderful. I made only half and it turned out to 4 generous servings with Spaetzle (kind of German / Austrian pasta which sponges up sauces). Lovely!
Reply
- Kate says
  March 15, 2020
  You are so welcome! I lived in Germany for a summer, and I ate a ton of Spaetzle. I bet it was fantastic with this sauce! =)
  Reply
  - Dina Bicking says
    March 28, 2020
    why the baking soda?
    Reply
    - Kate says
      March 28, 2020
      I use baking soda in place of sugar to help balance out the acid in the sauce.

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FAQs

What makes bolognese different than spaghetti sauce? ›

The key difference here is that bolognese sauce contains meat of some sort – beef, veal or pork are the most popular options. It just so happens that beef is the most popular choice in Italy (and your favourite Italian restaurant Sydney).

How do you bulk out bolognese with lentils? ›

Lentils are a great secret ingredient to add to Bolognese. They are unnoticeable in the sauce, as they cook down to almost nothing. If you find the lentils absorb some of the flavour of the sauce, add a dash of your favourite condiment to make up for it.

Tell Me More ›

How do you get rich flavor in bolognese? ›

The best tip for intensifying the flavour of your sauce is just to cook it slowly on a low heat for a long time. This reduces the sauce and intensifies the flavours – four hours is not uncommon for my bolognese.

Tell Me More ›

Why do Italians add milk to bolognese? ›

Milk is a magical ingredient when it comes to bolognese. First, the lactic acid and calcium in milk help to tenderize the meat. More than that, though, milk balances the wine and tomato, creates a creamier texture and adds richness (similar to how butter or yogurt add more richness and flavor to dishes).

Learn More ›

What is the difference between Italian bolognese and American bolognese? ›

Q1: What is the distinction between traditional and American Bolognese? A1: While some of the ingredients in bolognese are similar to those in American-style spaghetti meat sauce, authentic bolognese is thicker, has milk added (which is delicious), and uses far less tomato.

Discover More ›

What do Italians call Bolognese sauce? ›

In Italian, “Ragù” is the general term for meat sauce made of ground meat, vegetables, wine and some tomatoes. “Bolognese” is also a meat sauce, but it's a regional variation prepared in the style of Bologna hence the name: Ragù Bolognese.

Find Out More ›

Why does bolognese taste better the longer you cook it? ›

Tomatoes also benefit from long and slow cooking to release flavour molecules within the skin, and a speedy mid-week spag bol won't have time to reach peak tastiness until it has had those extra hours to marinade.

Get More Info ›

What thickens a bolognese? ›

As the sauce simmers, the water in it will evaporate and the sauce will get thicker. You can also add a little bit of cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it without changing the flavor. If you don't mind altering the sauce's flavor, try adding grated cheese, tomato paste, or even mashed potatoes to thicken it.

Read On ›

What can I add to bolognese to get more flavor? ›

Possible Bolognese Recipe Variations:

Add more herbs: Some fresh basil, sage or oregano would also be absolutely delicious simmered in this sauce or sprinkled on top.
Make it spicy: Feel free to also add in more crushed red pepper flakes if you would like the sauce to have more of a kick.

More items...

Jan 18, 2021

Tell Me More ›

What is the missing ingredient in bolognese sauce? ›

If you are missing an umami note, it's possible you are missing a very common ingredient in bolognese - chicken livers. These give a meaty, almost sweet flavour. Soak them in water for a few minutes, then finely chop or pulse in a food processor. I use minced (ground) pork, beef and chicken livers.

Show Me More ›

How do you add depth of flavor to bolognese? ›

Unlike standard meat sauces, which heavily rely on tomatoes, Bolognese sauce achieves its depth of flavor and richness through the addition of pancetta, lots of veggies, broth, wine, and a touch of milk.

Find Out More ›

Why is my bolognese tasteless? ›

Your spaghetti sauce may taste bland due to insufficient seasoning. Try adding more salt, herbs (like basil, oregano, or thyme), and other flavor enhancers like garlic, onion, or red pepper flakes. Also, a dash of sugar can balance flavors and bring out the natural sweetness of tomatoes.

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Do Italians put carrots in Bolognese? ›

There are some classic Italian versions and some more westernised ones. My preference leans towards one of the Italian classics. Ragu Bolognese is of the region of Bologna as the name implies. This version of the sauce uses fresh vegetables, such as the sweetness of carrots instead of using sugar.

Know More ›

Do Italians put sugar in Bolognese? ›

Usually no. But putting (a very small bit) of sugar or even a tiny pinch of baking soda in the tomato sauce can help if it is too acidic, but this is only done if the person cooking it is really in a rush.

Read The Full Story ›

What is the difference between Bolognese and ragu? ›

Bolognese sauce is typically more strict in its recipe, including ingredients like ground meat (usually a combo of pork and beef mince), onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, broth, wine, and sometimes milk or cream. It's generally a much thicker sauce than other ragù varieties and is served with taglatielle.

What makes bolognese unique? ›

The ragú from the city of Bologna is usually made a combination of pork and beef (and sometimes veal) and often contains cured pork, such as pancetta, to help season it. The meats are cooked in a heavy pot with softly cooked carrots, celery, and onions. There is a hint of warm spice from freshly grated nutmeg.

Get More Info ›

Is spaghetti bolognese just spaghetti with meat sauce? ›

Spaghetti bolognese consists of spaghetti served with a sauce made from tomatoes, minced beef or other meat, garlic, wine and herbs.

Find Out More ›

What is the difference between bolognese sauce and tomato sauce? ›

While both are pasta sauces, Bolognese places more emphasis on the meat. Sunday sauce, on the other hand, has a base of tomato sauce, which makes it more of a liquid than Bolognese. Despite their difference in appearance, flavor, and texture, many non-Italians conflate the two.

Discover More ›

What do Americans call spaghetti bolognese? ›

It turned out be spaghetti in a tomato-rich sauce with ground meat cooked in. It wasn't really much like a sauce that Italians would call a 'ragu bolognese'. That's not true, a lot of them call it “pisketty”.

Read The Full Story ›